Cord anchor



Sept. 18,1934. 7 w SHEHAN 1,973,933

CORD ANCHOR Filed-Jan. 17, 1934 INVENTOR WILLIAM E. SHEHAN ATTORNEYPatented Sept. 18, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlQii Application January17,

10 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for gripping travelling cords and thelike by movement of the cord laterally. A field of use is that withVenetian blinds. In such blinds, a cord or cords are provided forraising and lowering the blind. Such cords are commonly fastened to thelower slat of the blind, pass upwardly to a top rail on which the cordsare supported and are guided by pulleys to a position where they havedependent ends conveniently disposed for grasping by a person. Bypulling upon the cords, the blind may be raised. It has been commonpractice to anchor the blind at a desired elevation by adjustablyfastening the cord to cord fastener mounted on the 1 window frame. Cordanchors have been provided wherein a lateral pull on the cord from itsnormal direction of travel will operate a cord grip mechanism to gripand hold the cords and a pull restoring the cord to its normal directionof travel will cause the grip to be released. Such anchors have haddisadvantages. An anchor which is operated by pulling outwardly awayfrom the blind requires a backward movement of the cord into a room andover a space of such extent as to make it objectionable. Furthermore,such cords are passed over pulleys having axes parallel to the blind anddue to the inherent stiffness of such cords are subject to operatingthegripwhen the weight of the blind is released in lowering and therebyautomatically locking, requiring reactu ation for release.

The present invention has for its object provision of an anchor operableby sidewise movement of the cord thereby overcoming the objections abovementioned and whereby a simple, durable, compact and easily operatedstructure is obtained.

These objects are accomplished by means, of the embodiment of myinvention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is .a perspective view of a fragment of a Venetian blind with acord anchor in position and the parts in gripping position; Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section through the anchor with parts in cordgrippingposition; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with parts in cordreleased posi- 1934, Serial No. 706,952

These cords are housed in a channel in the top rail and pass about asheave or pulley 11.

The pulley 11 may be journalled on a frame comprising a fastening plate12 which merges into a channel portion 14 at the front. Flanges 13 atthe rear side of said channel portion serve for further attachment tothe top rail. Suitable screw holes in the fastening plate and flangesare provided so that the anchor may be secured to the top rail.Journalled between the legs of the channel is a cord guide or sheave 15over which cords 10 are passed and depend. Pivotally mounted on an axisparallel to the axis of pulley 15 is a movable gripping jaw having agripping face confronting the front wall of channel 14 and preferablyserrated. The front wall of channel 14 constitutes a fixed jaw to coactwith jaw 16. The gripping face of jaw 16 is eccentric to the pivotalaxis so that when the jaw 16 is swung up, it will wedge cords 10 betweenthe jaws, and an upward pull on the cords as that caused by the weightof the blind will increase the gripping action. It will be noted fromFig. 5 that the jaw 16 has arms 17. Extending across the back of channel14 is a wall 18 serving as a bearing support for an actuator 19 which ispivotally secured thereto by a pin 20. The actuator extends above pin 20and is extended laterally to provide a slotted arm 21 receiving an arm1? of the jaw 16. At the free or lower end of the actuator, the cords 10are confined by the rear and side walls of the actuator and a cross bar22. Thus, the actuator is compelled to swing with lateral movement ofthe cords. The arms 21 and l7serve as a motion transmission coupling andcause the jaw 16 to be swung with swinging movement of the actuator.Thus,'when the cords are in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, theactuator 19 is maintained at one side and the jaw 16 in cord grippingposition. The weight of the blind maintains a pull on the cords andkeeps them in tension to hold the jaw 16 in gripping position. It ispreferable to position the actuator with respect to the jaw 16 so that apull on the cord toward the center of the blind causes gripping.Obviously by reversing the position of the arm 21, the anchor may becaused to grip when the cords are-swung in the opposite direction. Thus,the anchor may be accommodated to mounting on either side of the blindand to a pull in either direction. To release the grip, the cords arepulled straight down, the cords swinging from the way or groovein pulley15.

It will be noted that the cords 10 pass over the way in guide pulley 15in a direction such that any stiffness in the cords at the bend tendingto push outwardly on the actuator would have no effect on movement of thlatter.

What I claim is:

1. A cord anchor comprising a frame, a cord supported by said frame andlongitudinally movable in relation to itself, said cord being swingablefrom its support, a grip in said frame through which said cord passes;said grip including a jaw movable toward and away from said cord to gripand release the latter, an actuator for said jaw embracing said cord soas to be operable by lateral movement of said cord, said actuator havinga path of movement transverse to the path of movement of said jaw, andmotion transmission means coupling said actuator and jaw wherebymovement of the actuator causes movement of said jaw.

53. A cord anchor comprising a frame, a cord guide in said frame havinga way in which said cord travels over said guide and extends therefromso as to be swingable laterally of said way, a grip in said framethrough which said cord passes; said grip including a jaw movable towardand'away from said cord to grip and release the latter, an actuator forsaid jaw embracing said cord so as to be operable by lateral movement ofsaid cord, said actuator having a path of movement transverse to thepath of movement of said jaw, and motion transmission means couplingsaid actuator and jaw whereby movement of the actuator causes movementof said jaw.

3. A cord anchor comprising a frame, a pulley journalled in said frame,a cord passing over said pulley and extending therefrom so as to beswingable laterally of the axis of said pulley, a grip in said framethrough which said cord passes; said grip including a jaw movable towardand away from said cord to grip and release the latter, an actuator forsaid jaw embracing said cord so as to be operable by lateral movement ofsaid cord, said actuator havirn a path of movement transverse to thepath of movement of said jaw, and motion transmission means couplingsaid actuator and jaw whereby movement of the actuator causes movementof said jaw.

i. A cord anchor comprising a frame, a pulley journalled in said frame,a cord passing over said pulley and extending therefrom so as to beswingable laterally of the axis of said pulley, a grip in said framethrough which said cord passes; said grip including a fixed jaw on saidframe, a movable jaw, said cord passing between said jaws, an actuatorfor said movable jaw embracing said cord so as to be operable by lateralmovement of said cord, said actuator having a path of movementtransverse to the path of movement of said movable jaw, and motiontransmission means coupling said actuator and said movable jaw wherebymovement of the actuator causes movement of said movable jaw.

5. A cord anchor comprising a frame, a pulley journalled in said frame,a cord passing over said pulley and extending therefrom so as to beswingable laterally of the axis of said pulley, a grip through whichsaid cord passes for gripping and releasing the latter; said gripincluding a fixed jaw on said a movable jaw pivoted on said frame havinga wedging face for co-operation with said fixed jaw, said cord passingbetween said jaws, an actuator for said movable jaw embracing said cordso as to beoperable by lateral movement of said cord, said actuatorhaving a path of movement transverse to the pivotal axis of said movablejaw, and motion transmission means coupling said actuator and movablejaw whereby movement of the actuator causes movement of said movablejaw.

6. A cord anchor comprising a frame, a cord supported by said frame andlongitudinally movable in relation to itself, said cord being swingablefrom its support, a grip in said frame through which said cord passes;said grip including a jaw movable toward and away from said cord, anactuator for said jaw pivoted on said frame on an axis at right anglesto the path of movement of the cord, said actuator adjacent its free endembracing said cord so as to be swung thereby, and an arm on saidactuator coupled to said jaw for moving the latter.

'7. A cord anchor comprising a frame, a cord guide in said frame havinga way in which said cord travels over said guide and extends therefromso as to be swingable laterally of said way, a grip in said framethrough which said cord passes; said grip including a jaw movable towardand away from said cord to grip and release the latter, an actuator forsaid jaw pivoted on said frame on an axis parallel to the path of 8. Acord anchor comprising a frame, a pulley journalled in said frame, acord passing over said pulley and extending therefrom so as to beswingable laterally of the axis of said pulley, a grip in said framethrough which said cord passes; said grip including a jaw movable towardand away from said cord to grip and release the latter, an actuator forsaid jaw pivoted on said frame on an axis parallel to the path ofmovement of said jaw, said actuator adjacent its free end embracing saidcord so as to be swung thereby, and an arm on said actuator coupled tosaid jaw for moving the latter.

9. A cord anchor comprising a frame, a pulley journalled in said frame,a cord passing over said pulley and extending therefrom so as to beswingable laterally of the axis of said pulley, a grip in said framethrough which said cord passes; said grip including a fixed jaw on saidframe, a movable jaw in said frame, said cord passing between said jaws,an actuator for said movable jaw pivoted on said frame on an axisparallel to the path of movement of said movable jaw, said actuatoradjacent its free end embracing said cord so as to be swung thereby, andan arm on said actuator coupled to said movable jaw for swinging thelatter.

10. A cord anchor comprising a frame, a pulley journalled in said frame,a cord passing over said pulley and extending therefrom so as to beswingable laterally of the axis of said pulley, a grip said fixed jaw,said cord passing between said jaws, an actuator for said movable jawpivoted on said frame on an axis transverse to the pivotal axis of saidmovable jaw, said actuator adjacent its free end embracing said cord soas to be swung thereby, and an arm on said actuator coupled to saidmovable jaw for swinging the latter.

WILLIAM E. SHEHAN.

lie

